ACTIVE: Community Consultations

Community Consultations: A model of resistance under attack in Guatemala

A bill currently before Guatemalan Congress seeks to co-opt the consultation process and violate the rights of indigenous communities to free, prior, and informed consent. Add your voice in calling on the Guatemalan government to respect the results of community-organized consultations.

Three ways to take action:

1. Print out the postcard and mail it to NISGUA’s office for delivery

2. Read more about the incredible role that consultations play in community organizing to protect land, life, and self-determination

3. Sign the extended action! Petition available here.

Photo: Graham Hunt

Download a postcard

Additional reading about community consultations

18July, 2013

Tahoe Myths: Setting the record straight

On Monday July 8, Guatemala's Public Prosecutor, on behalf of the six victims and co-plaintiffs in the case, filed a formal accusation against Alberto Rotondo, former security manager for Minera San Rafael, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canadian mining company Tahoe Resources. Rotondo was employed by the company when he [...]

12July, 2013

Urgent communique denouncing assassination of Santos Fidel Ajau Suret, member of La Puya encampment

On Tuesday, July 9, Santos Fidel Ajau Suret, a member of the ongoing peaceful resistance at La Puya, was assassinated. The MadreSelva Collective released the following communique denouncing his assassination. Translation by NISGUA, in Spanish here. Urgent Communique We denounce the cowardly assassination of Santos Fidel Ajau Suret, activist [...]

12July, 2013

Organizaciones Indigenas denuncian propuesta de moratoria minera

LOS PUEBLOS ORIGINARIOS NUNCA HAN PEDIDO MORATORIAS; UN PRESIDENTE DEMOCRÁTICO DEBE SER CONGRUENTE CON LOS RESULTADOS DE LAS CONSULTAS COMUNITARIAS DE BUENA FE El anunció del Presidente de la República de Guatemala de presentar una iniciativa de ley en el Congreso de la República para decretar “una moratoria por [...]

11July, 2013

Indigenous organizations denounce proposed mining moratorium

In a televised program broadcast from outside Tahoe Resources’ conflictive Escobal mine project, President Otto Pérez Molina announced a proposed two-year moratorium on the granting of new mineral mining licenses. A similar moratorium put in place under the Colom presidency was lifted under the Molina administration, allowing for the [...]

11July, 2013

On June 30, the March for Memory proclaimed: “I am also a victim of genocide”

In Guatemala City, hundreds celebrated the Day of Heroes and Martyrs on June 30, in lieu of the perennial national holiday known as Army Day. Since 1999, groups of urban activists have chosen to commemorate those killed in the internal armed conflict, rather than the army, on this day. [...]

5July, 2013

Communities of Santa Rosa and Jalapa denounce criminalization of leaders opposing Tahoe Resources’ Escobal mine

Since the May 2 declaration of a state of siege in four municipalities surrounding Tahoe Resources' mine, 12 members of the Committee in Defense of Life and Peace of San Rafael had their homes raided by police and military forces, five community members have been arrested and charged, and [...]